But we had a good experience with the Microwave Pasta Boat.

Those who cook pasta know that this simple product takes a fair amount of time. It can take a stock pot full of water up to 30 minutes to boil. Hopefully, boiling water doesn’t splash as you drain the pasta into a colander.

The Microwave Pasta Boat improves on the pasta-cooking experience.

The Microwave Pasta Boat has a steamer
rack for cooking other foods.

• The pasta is cooked in less than 20 minutes—less time than it would take a stock pot of water to boil on the stove.
• If you’re cooking multiple dishes, it frees up a burner.
• No water boils over onto the stove.
• There’s a built-in strainer; no colander or other pot is needed.
• The strainer lid makes straining a cinch.
• The drained pasta remains in the boat, where you can toss it with sauce, olive oil, butter, etc.
• You can also mix pasta salad and other recipes in the boat, without needing another pot or bowl.
• For everyday meals, the pasta boat can be brought to the table for serving or passing.
• The device doubles as a vegetable steamer.
• You can store leftover pasta, pasta salad, vegetables, etc. in the fridge.
• Extras include a stay-cool handle that doubles as a spaghetti measure, and a steaming rack for cooking vegetables and other foods. And it’s dishwasher safe.

The only problem is that the stated cooking times always produce overcooked pasta. Since microwave ovens differ, you’ll have to experiment to see what times work with yours. Cook the pasta for a few minutes short of the recommended time, then test a piece. You’ll soon know what works for your microwave.

Which gets back to our overall review: We like the pasta boat. It saves time and dish washing; it’s well worth the $9.59 price (on Amazon.com) and, more importantly, the storage space.